


Car problems

by bloodandcream



Series: Ship all the Ships [22]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Mechanics, side of Destiel in here, twins Hannah and Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 07:07:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3281372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodandcream/pseuds/bloodandcream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The neighborhood was a bit rough, but the garage was clean and looked reputable, sandwiched between a pizza parlor and a tattoo shop. Singer Auto. Although Castiel’s Lincoln Continental was old, it was in fairly good condition. That was, until Castiel had needed muffler work done, was referred to this auto shop, and subsequently had found additional things wrong with his car that required taking it in several more times. Hannah was suspicious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Car problems

Hannah missed the bus stop that was just before the auto garage, but she was unfamiliar with the area she was riding to. It was only a few blocks away to the next stop, and it was a nice clear day out so she didn’t mind the small walk. Because she had work off, Castiel had sent her to pick up his car. Hannah knew her brother would rather come get it himself, but he had to stay late at work. She would stop by the office building later to pick him up, and he would probably buy Chinese for dinner to thank her.

They still lived together, despite being late in to their twenties. But the price of an apartment was daunting enough with two people splitting the bill, she wouldn’t have been able to make rent on her own. She liked living with her brother though. He was grumpy in the mornings, obsessively particular about the organization of the kitchen cupboards, and left his wet towels on the bathroom floor, but, he was her brother. They talked to each other about everything, although Hannah usually did most of the talking, and he was fiercely protective in a sweet way.

The neighborhood was a bit rough, but the garage was clean and looked reputable, sandwiched between a pizza parlor and a tattoo shop. Singer Auto. Although Castiel’s Lincoln Continental was old, it was in fairly good condition. That was, until Castiel had needed muffler work done, was referred to this auto shop, and subsequently had found additional things wrong with his car that required taking it in several more times. Hannah was suspicious.

When she stepped inside the tidy lobby - cinder block walls painted white, magazines stacked neatly, half a pot of coffee on a table for customers - there was no one behind the desk. After looking around curiously, a young lady came in from the garage. She wore a dark blue work jumper that had been opened and tied around the waist, a plaid shirt, her chestnut hair pulled back in a pony tail, and there was a smear of grease across her cheek.

"Hey, sorry, receptionist is out sick. Can I help you with something?"

Hannah blinked at her for a minute. She had a bright smile and beautiful hazel eyes.

"Yes, I’m here to pick up a car for my brother. Castiel Novak."

"Oh, the Continental, yeah. Are you his sister?"

"Yes."

"You look a lot alike."

"We’re twins, actually."

"Neat. Cas is a funny guy. I’ll just check if it’s done."

Hannah nodded as the mechanic retreated back into the garage, hearing her yell ‘Deeaaan’ as the door slowly closed.

She came back out with another mechanic in tow. The young lady headed around the desk with a clipboard and papers while the young man wiped his hands on a rag. Oh. Oh Hannah understood why Castiel kept coming here now. They weren’t swindling him with unnecessary repairs. Castiel was probably finding reasons to come.

"Hey, I’m Dean, I’ve been working on your brother’s car. Really weird repair, man, I’ll be honest, it looks like the belt was sabotaged. Actually the last few repairs I’ve done for Cas, they don’t look like normal wear and tear, they look kind of intentional. Is uh, do you think there’s anyone trying to get him hurt?"

Hannah couldn’t help the small secretive smile that barely moved her lips.

"No. I understand what’s going on now."

"Huh?"

He was pretty, certainly, but very masculine, thick muscled and broad, a little dirty from working on cars.

"My brother always did like …. more rugged men."

"Excuse me?"

"I believe he’s been creating repairs himself, to see you."

"Oh wow, that’s, okay lady I don’t know what kind of idea you’ve got…"

"He’s very socially awkward and not forthcoming with his interest."

"Yeah, you know over sharing is awkward too. I doubt he’d want his sister trying to get him a date."

"Well, I think that would be better than spending hundreds in unnecessary car repairs while attempting to work up the nerve to ask the mechanic out."

Hannah didn’t think it had gotten warmer in the small office room, but Dean was suddenly bright red. The young lady was shaking behind the counter, looking like she was failing at suppressing a laugh. After a minute of regarding the two, Dean looking at his feet but an intense look of consternation on his face and the other mechanic clutching her stomach and falling forward on her stool, Hannah rolled her eyes and walked up to the counter.

"How much is owed for the repair?"

The young lady had printed out a sheet of what had been done and handed it over for review.

"It’ll be one sixty one and fifty three cents."

Dean strode forward and snatched the sheet away from Hannah.

"No, it won’t, don’t worry about it."

The young lady, still smiling, said “Dean, even if he was coming here as some kind of excuse to flirt with you, you know Bobby won’t just let us hand out work for free.”

"I know, just, don’t worry about it."

Hannah already had her wallet in her hand. “Are you sure?”

"Yeah. Man, why didn’t Cas come in today then?"

"He regrettably had to stay late at work and wouldn’t be able to get it by close, and you are closed tomorrow."

Dean folded up the invoice and pocketed it. “Huh.”

"I will convey your disappointment that he wasn’t here today."

"Just, here …" Dean took one of the business cards from the counter and scrawled a phone number on it, "here give this to him."

"I will."

"Don’t over share, okay, no embellishments."

"Of course."

Dean scowled at her, pointed a finger at the other lady and narrowed his eyes in some sort of silent communication, before he disappeared in the garage.

The young lady burst out laughing then. “Oh man, I knew there was something there. You shoulda seen the ga ga eyes they make at each other in the garage.”

"My brother can be intense."

"Yeah."

"I don’t believe I got your name."

"Oh, gosh sorry, I’m Kim."

Hannah extended a hand over the counter for a handshake, Kim’s palm warm and her grip firm.

"If I had a car, I would start bringing it here too."

"I’m pretty sure Dean is the reason for at least half of our return customers."

"I wasn’t talking about Dean."

"Oh."

"Perhaps I am too forward, but, I will have no reason to come back to this garage so I’ll have to ask now, may I take you out for dinner Friday?"

"Wow, you are really straight forward."

"I see no reason not to be."

"I don’t know anything about you, other than being Cas’ sister."

"My name is Hannah Novak. I’m twenty eight, I work at a bookstore, I live with my twin brother, I’m an agnostic, and a lesbian, I enjoy painting with watercolors - "

"Okay, okay, you’re just going to keep going until I tell you stop aren’t you?"

"I might."

"Or, we could pick this up again Friday."

"I’d like that. And you can tell me more about yourself."

"I’ll tell you right now, I have a kid."

"And?"

"And… that’s not a deal breaker?"

“No.”

“Huh.”

Kim smiled at her, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear and walking around from behind the desk. She stopped next to Hannah and leaned back against it, resting her elbows behind her on the counter. Hannah wasn’t sure when or why she had picked up the interest, but she had always liked women with work roughened hands. Kim’s hands dangled over the edge of the counter in her relaxed posture, the nails were cut neat and close, a little grime worn into the cuticles, they were slender hands but sturdy.

Hannah could feel herself blushing now.

“Do you like Mediterranean food?”

Kim’s brow twitched. “Um, I don’t know, can’t say I’ve had much of it.”

“Do you like trying new things?”

Hannah didn’t miss how her gaze flicked down and up quickly. Although Hannah wasn’t wearing anything particularly nice, just jeans and a well fitted white button down with a light jacket, she thought it looked sharp on her.

“I do.”

“Well then, please, I’d love to take you to a favorite restaurant of mine, Aladdin’s. It’s in Highland Square. Do you know the area?”

“Yeah, I do. Arsty scene.”

“It is.”

“Okay, so what time Friday?”

“Would seven be good?”

“Sounds perfect. I’ll meet you there.”

“It’s a date.”

Kim passed her the keys to the Continental, and another business card which had a new number scrawled on it. Thanking her and backing out of the office, Hannah found the car parked in front of the garage. When she buckled herself up and turned it on, she thanked Dean for already having turned off Castiel’s terrible music.

Hannah was already devising plans to get Castiel a date with Dean on Friday. It had been a while since they’d gone on a double date together.


End file.
